The powerlessness of the powerful
Friday, May 14, 2010
In Europe, populist demagogues, such as Geert Wilders in the Netherlands, rant and rage against the elitist "appeasers" of Islam. In Thailand, red-shirted demonstrators from the country's rural northeast rant and rage against the military, social, and political elites of Bangkok.
The first principle of democracy is that government must be based on popular consent, even if the government is made up of parties for which many people did not vote. It is clear from the worldwide rage against elected governments that this consent is becoming dangerously threadbare. More and more people in democratic countries feel unrepresented, anxious, and angry. And they blame the elites.
These legal professionals, who are entrusted with upholding the rule of law, face numerous challenges that compromise their ability to effectively carry out their duties.Elsewhere in this edition, we carry a story on the lamentations of the officers of court.The prosecutors have raised a number of concerns, calling for urgent attention from all relevant stakeholders, including the President, Minister of Justice and the Attorney General. Their...